Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Freezer
by Skytracer
Summary: Sora never wakes. AU. Oneshot.


Done pre viewing of Blank Points, so there may be some inconsistencies.

As always, reviews appreciated ^^  
>-<p>

Light, blinding, surgical, sterile, cuts through my eyes as I struggle to open them. I shake my head, rapidly blinking to clear the dark spots that cloud my vision. I guess I should be happy, Sora is whole again, and Roxas, no matter how short, has a bit more time left to exist.

Which doesn't explain in the slightest bit why I see Riku, a man in red and Namine in front of me as the room around me coalesces into view.

"Riku, how...?"

Riku seems hesitant, as though he is struggling to find the words to explain the current situation. In that instant he is a whirlwind of emotions but above all I sense a heavy anguish and guilt. Finally his blindfolded visage meets mine and he speaks.

"We took too long. Sora was weak from the loss of memories and when yours joined with him..."

He lets the silence fill the rest of the sentence. The room fills with the terse atmosphere, until the man in red speaks for the first time.

"Riku, don't bother explaining to it. Words have never meant anything to nobodies, let alone an object created by them."

The words cut deep, and I resist the urge to physically flinch. Riku though, weathers them easily, as if he has heard such things countless times. The tension between the two is palpable, although now probably isn't the time or place to contemplate such things.

"What about Roxas?"

"He came crawling to the mansion, yelling something about some "friend". Hmph. Like a Nobody would know what one was. Convenient though", The face settles into some sort of grimace, while his eyes stray throughout the room, almost as though he is talking to himself. "He was quickly disposed of, and is one with you now. To think he could have crawled off to meet his miserable end elsewhere, but that's the way Nobodies are, always throwing wrenches in plans."

The only thing I feel is the rush of air as I launch myself towards the man in red, keyblade effortlessly drawn. Only the wall that is Riku, appearing before me stops my charge before my blade strikes. In that moment, it is everything that I hate about Riku that appears in front of me, inscrutable, a blank void, without compassion. We clash for about a second; a battle of wills, before I figure out it is a lost cause. I may have gotten stronger but this is still the same person that defeated me unarmed at hollow bastion. Giving a last shove, I shoot the room the coldest glare I can muster, and storm out, all the while willing the tears not to fall from my eyes.

* * *

><p>The view from the clock tower is no less stunning that usual, although I hardly notice it now as I sit on the edge, coming to grips with the situation. If it weren't this bad I might actually have laughed at my complete failure. Everything I'd tried to do up till this point to change fate for the better had all been from naught – I'm still stuck in roughly the same position as before. The <em>irony. <em>Roxas is dead. Axel will probably never speak to me and Riku-

"Thought I'd find you here."

And there he is, framed by the archway at the end of the plaza. He walks over and takes a seat beside where I am, and we sit for a moment, each waiting for the other to break the silence of a million unanswered questions.

I bite first.

"How did things turn out this way?"

He takes a little more than a minute to find the words for the answer.

"I think we just have to look around us, pick up the pieces, and just move on, the best we can."

"Really? You think it's going to be that simple, that we can move on just from where we left off? That things are going to be just fine, that we can just ignore the people that were here yesterday and gone today? Or is this about stopping the Organization? That things will move forward because you still have your keyblade wielder on hand?" I almost spit the last part out.

"I didn't say that."

His voice is strained and in that instant, I immediately regret the words that just left my mouth. This hasn't been any easier on him that it has been on me. We've both lost our best friends, and we have nobody to blame but ourselves for this turn of events. There is no way he could be this callous, I know that and yet I've pushed away one of the only people who can look at me without seeing either someone else's face, or even a face, for that matter. The apology catches in my throat before it has a chance to dislodge itself. It's like I've already crossed some invisible line, and letting it out won't change a thing.

The conversation once again lapses into silence, but this time it is Riku who ends it.

"Xion, we-"

I never let him finish the sentence, as I throw my arms around him. Apologies can come later. For now all I can hope is that he understands everything I've been trying to tell him. I grasp him harder, willing my emotions over to him. I can do this much can't I, since now I have a heart and all.

Then I feel his arms wrapping around me too, as he returns the hug with an equal, if not greater fervour. Somehow I can feel it too, the words in his heart, those he can't weave into sentences. He needs this just as much as I do, I realize; we are two souls in a world only we know has gone mad. We're not friends, not comrades, not partners or anything wonderful or honourable sounding like that, at least not yet. Circumstances though, have pushed us towards an understanding, and that is a start.

The gears of the world continue to turn though. Tomorrow there will still be heartless to slay, an organization to stop, people who will want to see Sora's smiling face. I have to do this, I owe them this much. This puppet will play her part.


End file.
